ALL Bedlington Terrier sketches on this website are by permission of Francien van Vuuren (C) this means they are copyright and may not be copied without permission.

I bought my first Bedlington Terrier in 1987 and discovered that one is never enough. For me they are the perfect all-round pet. Bedlingtons have a non-shedding, wool coat which makes them perfect for many people with allergies, they do not smell like a dog.

The most usual colours are Blue (my personal favourite) and Liver, they also come in Sandy, and bicolours with tan. Blues have black noses and Livers have brown noses, Sandy's have paler brown noses. You should not have to look at the nose to know what colour the dog is, it should be obvious. The body is where the colour is seen, the topknots and legs should be lighter than the body.

A Bedlington barks for a reason they are not yappy, one of the most alert of dog breeds quick to advise whether a strange sound needs to be investigated or ignored.

They are small enough to pick up if you have to, yet big enough to jump onto a seat or into a car without taking up the whole back seat. I also recommend that you use an approved dog harness for his and your safety. They will take as much or as little exercise as you want to give them, they will go for a run with you and be just as happy to sit on the couch with you. Of course they do need exercise, and love to be taken for a walk (or 2) every day.

A superb companion, the Bedlington only wants to be with you. Adoringly affectionate to their owners, it's easy to understand that once you've had a Bedlington there is no other dog.

No other dog looks like a Bedlington Terrier but his lamb-like appearance is only one part of his individuality. The Bedlington only looks delicate, a typical terrier, the Bedlington is full of life and dash. In fact, the only thing lamblike about the breed is its appearance.

My puppies have usually either one or both Champion parents. They are microchipped, health checked, DNA tested for Copper Toxicosis and registered with Dogswest.

My dogs have either been tested for Copper Toxicosis with the Vetgen linkage/Deletion Test ( linked marker gene result 1,1 not carrying the deletion)) and/or gene tested for deletions in the MURR1 gene and are normal or their parents have been, or tested by Gentech or ASAP in Melbourne. As I have my oldies neutered I have liver biopsies done, so far they have shown no signs of damage. With the news of the identification of the other faulty gene I may soon be able to have definitive testing done. Research is progressing and the test may soon be a reality.

Many of my dogs have been tested for congenital and non-congenital eye diseases and have been declared free of them.

At the end of the 19th century the Bedlington Terrier was described by Desmond Morris, writing in Dogs a Dictionary of Dog Breeds, as

"The smartest and quickest of our terriers"

I think that is still true today.

Ausbed Bedlington Terriers were featured on the ABC Pet Show

Want to know more about these fabulous dogs?

I recommend "The Bedlington Terrier" by Ken Bounden. Or contact me and I'll do my best to answer your questions.